Prim Perfect asks what makes a strong SL community, and wants to hear from you

We talk a lot about community in Second Life. It’s a concept that touches on many areas, be it the locations and people where we opt to establish a virtual home, the role-play or other groups where we spend much of our in-world time and a part of what keeps us logging-in.

Community touches on many different aspects of discussion about SL, from how the platform is promoted to the world at large, through new user sign-ups and user retention through to possible directions the platform and Linden Lab should take to achieve and maintain real growth for SL.

Now Prim Perfect wants to hear from you about the topic and concept of community in Second Life, with a view to exploring feedback as a part of the Prim Perfect interactive installation at the SL11B Community Celebration.

The Prim Perfect pavilion under construction at SL11BCC

Whether you have views on how SL should be advertised or on matters of user retention, the training which might be given to new users – or both of these together, Prim Perfect would like to hear from you.

Most of all, they’d like to explore what “community” means to you: what is important about SL? What keeps you logging-in? What type of community would you like to live in? What do think a community in Second Life needs to remain vibrant?

If you’d like you views to for a part of the installation, please complete the form below, reproduced here on behalf of Prim Perfect (note you are not limited to the size of the text boxes when responding to the questions).

I think I know what makes a strong community in sl. 1) one or more fully committed friends who are there for the long haul to be the base organizers and stable presence 2) one or more regular events that occur at the same time each week, month, quarter or year depending on what the events are 3) a basic goal or reason for being that appeals to a large group of people and 4) an ability to advertise and spread the word to those who are not already in the group.

That said, a group can die when the committed people leave, when the events stop, when the reasons for being diverge or when the advertising ceases.

Of the great groups I have been part of, I’m always amazed how a single person can hold the whole thing together. But that also makes a group fragile. For when the single person leaves for whatever reason, that is the end…

I too, am not terribly comfortable with the restrictive formatted responses above, but am happy to respond. I am a member of the (real life) Board of Directors for Virtual Ability, Inc.®. Besides our real life projects, Virtual Abillity is an inworld community, of several hundred (800 plus, actually) people who may or may not be challenged with a disability in real life. Some are so challenged, and others are caretakers, friends, family, simply people who love us. I am deaf, in real life, and belonging to the Virtual Ability community has allowed me freedom to socialize without the restrictions I experience in real life, where I am somewhat of an introvert. Although I have a busy professional life, I keep to myself and rarely socialize. The thing I love most about our community, is that we are free to ‘stick’, or to learn what we can, and then, fly, to explore all SL has to offer. Many remain and become contributors to the community that has been so integral in learning to navigate and function inworld, with, or without, a disability. Either way, whether they come and stay, or come and later fly, they’re still part of us. Community feels like family. It’s a comfort zone, where you can draw that deep breath and feel that you’re home. Where you matter, you’re important, and you’re always welcome. Having just passed my 7 year rez day, I am still just as grateful to arrive at ‘home’ as I was in my early years, upon discovering my beloved community. All of us matter, and, inside of Virtual Ability, we all know it. As my blues singer friend, Keb ‘Mo says: “There’s more than one way home!’

THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jun 10, 07:00 - 15:00 PDTJun 5, 15:17 PDTScheduled - We will be performing rolling restarts for regions on the RC Channels on Wednesday, June 10th beginning at 7:00 AM PST. Please refrain from rezzing no copy objects and remember to save all builds. Please check this blog for updates.

THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jun 9, 03:00 - 13:00 PDTJun 5, 15:13 PDTScheduled - We are performing rolling restarts for regions on the Second Life Main Channel on Tuesday, June 9th. Please refrain from rezzing no copy objects and remember to save all builds. Please check this blog for updates.

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